TBILISI, DFWatch – The new parliament building in Georgia will be only partly completed by the time of the opening session on May 26.

In 2011, Mikheil Saakashvili announced that he would move parliament to Kutaisi, Georgia’s second biggest city. He also said that the assembly would be meeting in the new building during the current parliamentary term.

His initiative was followed by criticism and resistance; but construction work began with an aim to finish by May 26, Georgia’s Independence Day.

Even though the construction work will not be finished by then, the building will nonetheless be able to accommodate the first session, according to a statement on Parliament’s webpage. By the opening session, the building will have a glass façade, session hall, corridors and yard.